Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts, has announced the sale of Grand Pineapple Antigua to Elite Island Resorts effective May 30, 2016.  The 180-room resort located at Long Bay, Antigua will continue accepting bookings and will remain open as it seamlessly transitions to a new name and brand, Pineapple Beach Club, on June 1 under Elite Island Resorts’ ownership.

According to the agreement with Elite Island Resorts, all resort staff members will remain in place under the new management team, continuing the resort’s tradition of Caribbean hospitality.  “We are very satisfied that our staff and loyal customers will be properly taken care of under the stewardship of Elite’s chairman, Rob Barrett,” said Gordon “Butch” Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts International.  Guests with bookings made for arrivals to Grand Pineapple Antigua after May 30, 2016 will be fully protected at the agreed upon rates by Elite Island Resorts and its sales team.  Grand Pineapple Negril remains a part of the SRI collection of resorts and will not be impacted by the confirmed sale.SRI continues its longstanding legacy in Antigua with Sandals Grande Antigua, an award-winning resort which debuted in 1991 as the first Sandals outside of Jamaica and remains in high-level discussions to introduce the first Beaches Resorts to the island of Antigua.BroadSpan Capital LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Sandals for this transaction.